Penguin cronos con't
by ShinyShiza
Summary: Awsome! I finished Chapter 12 Officially 13 ... I will update soon! Anyways, Chapter one and the prologue are seperate, if you want, check 'em out! About a teen and his adventures after being turned into a penguin. Later: New penguins join... total: 8 Cramped, huh!
1. 2: The New, Weird World

"I'll return and destroy you penguins!" Dr. Blowhole exclaimed.

Skipper groaned in frustration. He knew Blowhole would be back, but at least the team would be ready.

"Skipper, look at this," Private called to his leader. A mound of clothes was lying on the ground. Kowalski's new invention lay beside the clothes, completely intact for once. The pile of clothing stirred. Skipper raised a flipper to indicate pause, then careful approach. Tarence, under the clothes, was just coming to. There was an incredible pain coursing though his head. Vision was opaque, and Tarence teetered side to side, unable to sit up normally. The pain in his head surged, and Tarence let out an angry yelp. Rico readied a bomb. Kowalski edged closer. Private followed suit. Rico lit two more bombs.

"Ow, that's smarts!" Whoever was under the clothes, Kowalski was sure it wasn't hostile. But there was a familiar tone to that voice, but who? Private edged a bit closer to Kowalski, and leaned over.

"Are those the clothes of that boy visiting the zoo?" Private asked. Kowalski gasped, finally fitting the puzzle together. Of course, he thought, This is the boy! Kowalski grinned slightly.

Private glanced at his left. He stared at a violet liquid not far from Kowalski's DNA invention. He nudged Kowalski with his flipper. "What is that?" Private whispered quizzically. Kowalski looked over and gasped. It was the trigger for his DNA Blitz Changer, or at least the waste product.

Rico lit five more bombs and, big surprise, started juggling them. Skipper was still paying attention to Kowalski and Private's advance towards the unknown "Creature in the Laundry."

"IT WORKED!" Kowalski exclaimed, though still in a whisper. He and Private turned to the task at had. "Now, only one way to confirm it." Kowalski nodded to Private. "Here I go!"

Any shreds of doubt that any of the penguins had were shed as Tarence's jacket was lifted. A penguin with a height between Rico's and Skipper's, a pained and dazed expression, and a flipper to his head faced Kowalski. As Tarence gradually recovered, he began to see avian shapes forming. He held his head, and winced. Kowalski yelled, "YES!" Tarence yelped in pain as a spark came out of his head.

Private jolted back, startled.

"Ouch!" Tarence rubbed his head. He began to rub his eyes. Finished, he looked around. A penguin that seemed familiar to Tarence stood beside him, and an adorable, stouter penguin next to _him_. Tarence frowned in confusion. He glanced beyond the closer penguins. Tarence could make out a leader-like penguin, and next to him was a smoldering, smiling heap of feathers. Wait a second, Tarence thought. He lifted his arm, which was now a flipper. He felt his face. His nose and upper jaw fused to form the upper beak, and his lower jaw was the rest of his new beak. Now starting to panic, he looked down; he had webbed feet and stumpy legs. He felt his face again. There was no mistaking it now: Tarence was now a penguin! "Whoa! Unreal!" Tarence exclaimed. He unsteadily attempted to stand up. This was met with a warm, hearty face-plant. "AAAUUGGGH!"

Tarence wailed and writhed in agony. His body was still sore from the transformation. Fighting back tears, Tarence sat up again. "Are you alright," Kowalski asked, concerned.

Tarence frowned. "I guess so, though I had a rough day..." Tarence admitted dryly.

Private became curious. " Where are you from?"

"I have no family or friends, or people who really care. I was at the orphanage, though the lady there is a jerk. And I was 15 years old before this," Tarence explained, looking himself over again. Hunger pangs gripped his stomach. Tarence's head drooped. Skipper and Rico waddled over. Private had a gleam in his eye. Skipper and Kowalski nodded, and Rico stared fish-eyed into space.

"I guess we could take you in," Private piped up.

"Really? Are you sure?" Tarence was a bit startled.

"Indeed," Kowalski added, "But I would need to run a few tests..." Tarence grinned sheepishly.

"So, what's your name, soldier?" Skipper asked. At the same time, Kowalski asked, "What might your name be?"

"Tarence," Tarence answered.

Tarence attempted to stand again. He then face-planted again. This was repeated two whole times. "This is embarrassing..." Tarence frowned.

Skipper tapped his beak. "Hmm... Rico, stretcher!" Skipper ordered. Rico coughed up a miniature stretcher. Tarence stared, dumbfounded.

"You will get used to that," Skipper assured. Tarence was carried by the others on the stretcher due to his temporary inability to stand or walk. They moved across Manhattan, keeping hidden. But, strangely enough, Every corner, block, and alleyway was deserted. There was awkward silence for about three miles.

"This is weird," Tarence pointed out, looking around him at the empty streets. The zoo was in sight, but something was up. The entire group gasped.


	2. 3: Blitz and Testing

Everyone that wasn't in the streets gathered at the Central Park Zoo due to the previous commotion. This wasn't the greatest news for the penguins.

"Uh, Oh..." Tarence and Kowalski spoke simultaneously.

"This definitely complicates things," Skipper scoped the area.

"How do we get around _this_?" Tarence whispered worriedly.

"We can take our secret tunnels." Kowalski suggested. Skipper nodded.

"Skipper, you and Rico will take the south-east tunnel of 2B. Private, you and I will take the entrance of 3A, carrying the penguin," Kowalski indicated Tarence, "Tarence, to safety. Are you up for this, Private?"

"Yes Kowalski!" Private whispered.

"Let's go men," Skipper piped up. "We'll recoup at base. Move! Move! Move!"

As Skipper and Rico went to 2B, Kowalski and Private lugged Tarence to 3A. Luckily, the penguins returned to base without being spotted. Tarence was then set down, and the others tried to think of possible resolutions to their troubles.

"We should keep Tarence here for testing, and we could delete the civilians' memories of the explosion. Kowalski, both are up to you." Skipper's orders were enough for Tarence to note that the stout, flatheaded penguin was the leader. Kowalski was obviously the scientist, due to Tarence's current penguin form. Rico was deduced to be the insane demolition and supplies penguin. And Private was, well, the Private. This was a group of penguins, but to Tarence, it felt like the best boot camp ever.

"We also should get ready a false shipment plan for Tarence to avoid suspicion." Skipper added. Tarence attempted to stand again, and faceplanted. Skipper rolled his eyes. "And would someone teach this soldier how to walk." he spoke, aggravated.

…...

Kowalski and Tarence entered the testing room for anatomy and psychology. Kowalski built the wing to test Skipper when he was drained of memories by Dr. Blowhole a few months back. Private followed inside to see the tests. The first matter was actually physical health. The concrete and wrench created two indentations in Tarence's now small skull. Kowalski performed a minor skull surgery. Private turned away during the procedure, which ended quickly, and Private turned back to see bandages around Tarence's head.

The next course of action was to study Tarence's psychological patterns and behavior. A simple chat helped determine Tarence's thought patterns. As Kowalski and Tarence finished their chat, Tarence had a vision of his past. Shuddering, he tried shrugging it off, though this didn't bear fruit. Kowalski was about to leave the room, when he felt a strange vibe tickle his back. He turned to see Tarence spaced out, about to cry. He looked at Private, and they exchanged nervous glances. Tears welled up in Tarence's once calm, oval eyes. A look of fear contorted his face, and the shuddering continued. Tarence tried to speak, but could only mouth out words and syllables.

"Mom... Dad... run..." Tarence managed to choke out. Another round of nervous glances from Private and Kowalski, and the whole zoo jumped by surprise. Tarence let a blood-curdling scream loose, vibrating the walls, and nearly shattering Kowalski's and Private's eardrums. It protracted on well over 30 seconds, and died down as quickly as it had started. Skipper sped to the wing, Rico not far behind.

"Kowalski, what happened?" Skipper asked hurriedly.

"I could place an educated guess," Kowalski deduced, ear-holes still ringing, "that Tarence had remembered a traumatizing event in his life. Of course there is only one way to find out." He turned to Tarence, who had recovered from the vision, and was trembling only a mite.

"What happened?" Private feebly asked, a look of total worry across his face.

"I remembered the death of my parents," Tarence weakly replied. "I was right there when it happened."

"So...?" Kowalski egged on Tarence's explaination.

"They died... and it was murder..." Tarence finished, andbegan to shake again.

"Well, what happened those years ago?" Skipper pried, though in a sympathetic tone.

"All right, I'll tell you guys..." Tarence replied, and began to tell his story.


	3. 4:Tarence's Story: First Year in NY

As Rico doused his hourly bomb, Tarence began his story:

"I was walking home from school, like any other day in my first year in Manhattan. It was brisk that Autumn, so I had my jacket. I was excited because of my straight A report card, so I was going to show my parents my grades, and mess around with my infant brother, Max, afterward. I rushed to my door, which was left open a bit, and a window was cracked. Once I thrust my front door open, however, what elation I had was demolished. I had seen two men, masked, with guns. They only briefly glanced at me. 'Tarence, run!' My dad yelled, only to be shot in the leg. The second man shot my father with his gun. My Mother screamed, to get killed my the first man's gun. The men turned their full attention to me, and I couldn't move. However, the mens' luck ran out when the authorities surrounded the building, forcing the crooks to flee. I was left there, traumatized, and unable to speak. For weeks to come I would have nightmares, until they finally ceased, though I remained depressed for the majority of the four years I lived in Manhattan after the incident. As for Max, I have no idea what happened to him. I can only hope that he survived, and is alive. I was 11, then."

An awkward silence ensued, and Skipper broke it.

Smiling softly, Skipper came to a decision. "Welcome to the group."

"Just like that?" Tarence asked.

"Yeah, what else are we going to do?" Skipper put his flippers on his hips.

"It's official, then," Kowalski nodded.

"Oh, Goody! A Roommate!" Private cheered.

And with Skipper's decision, Tarence got a family, of sorts, and a sense of belonging he hadn't felt in four, dreadful years. He smiled shyly, and took this new life happily.

Tarence was "adopted".


	4. 5: Tarence's Intro in CPZ

"Aww, so you're caring for this little guy?" Marlene asked Skipper, eyes glued to the teen penguin before her.

"I could require a slightly different tone. You, know, because I'm an adolescent?"

"Aah, I'm just joking," Marlene assured.

"Since he has no one to take care of him, Tarence is now in our care, probably permanently." Kowalski chimed in. "I have forged and created a diagnosis scanner. It comes with a translator and a reader." He tried it on Private, and got a cheerful diagnosis, while Rico got a "Kaboom", and Skipper a normal one. Kowalski received an utter genius diagnosis, and now it was Tarence's turn. " Oh, and Tarence can finally walk again, by the way!"

"That's great news!" Skipper heard Marlene say. "He's all healed!"

Tarence was puzzled. Kowalski leaned over.

"Cover story..." Kowalski whispered. Tarence nodded.

"Let's scan your brain waves," Kowalski continued. He pointed the scanner at the recruit. "I see... ADHD. Though a minor case."

"That explains some of my rash actions... I think..." Tarence replied, "And or my mildly hyperactive nature."

"Not surprised?" Kowalski wasn't surprised, himself, but he was double-checking.

"Nope, couldn't have ADD! I'm just too hyper. Attention Deficit Disorder would be impeding attentiveness by laid back or errant-minded nature. Definitely not me!"

Marlene looked surprised. "What a vocabulary he's got."

"Quite," Kowalski smiled at the thought of someone that would understand him.

"I also love to write, sketch, and I have a liking to astronomy," Tarence continued.

"We have an artist in our midst?" Kowalski's face lit up more, and overhearing the conversation, Phil and Mason smiled at each other as well.

"Aww, I'm not all that great... no one's seen my works..." Tarence blushed in a light pink.

"So modest, as well," Kowalski added, grinning. Tarence began shifting around, becoming a bright scarlet.

Skipper looked at Rico in the distance, who was balancing on a bomb, while juggling seven more bombs. As Skipper turned back to Tarence, there was a boom, and Rico came back, singed and smoking. Tarence stared at Rico, and Rico stared back blankly.

"Fish?" Tarence asked.

Rico nodded, "Ah-Hah!"

"Figures..." Tarence muttered under his breath, as to not offend Rico. As he turned around, Tarence came face to face with Julian.

"Hiya, silly penguin!" Julian greeted, only to be stared at by a bored, white face.

"Can I help you?" Tarence asked with obvious displeasure.

"I need Mort off my royal feet!" Julian complained. The conceited lemur shoved his foot in Tarence's face.

"And... this is my problem, why?" Tarence frowned, and he shoved the furry limb away from his beak. King Julian shoved his foot, with Mort perched on it, back in front of Tarence.

"I am the King!" Julian stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't care..." Tarence retorted.

"Well I... wait..." Julian paused, looking Tarence up and down. "I haven't seen you before."

"Congratulations, Conan Doyle," Tarence replied sarcastically. Though, obviously, the lemur didn't get the hint.

"Who is this Conan Doodle you're speaking to? Is he an invisible penguin?" Julian asked absently, as Tarence looked at him like he had two heads. "I know! Kick Mort off my royal feet, Conan Doodle!"

Tarence walked away from the awkward lemur, and rolled his eyes. "Is he always this conceited?" Tarence asked Skipper, as Julian yelled for a so called "Doodle." "And dumb?"

"Ringtail is quite annoying and selfish," Skipper replied. "Though he was king of the lemurs in Madagascar."

"Oh," Tarence realized the Ring-tailed lemur was, in fact, a king in his far off homeland. Skipper remembered all the stupid things Julian had done.

"Show yourself, Doodle!" Julian screamed.

"My newest, organic invention has been completed!" Blowhole boomed. A large shadow rose over Blowhole's base. "The penguins will perish at last!"


	5. 6: Another Arrival

As several peaceful weeks had passed, and Tarence learned to swim like a penguin, Manhattan appeared very quiet.

"Stay focused!" Skipper ordered.

"Yes sir!" Tarence obediently saluted.

The penguins were sparring for combat training. Skipper launched a volley of punches, as Tarence blocked, parried, and evaded each.

"Good work soldier!" Skipper complemented.

"He has made exceptional progress!" Kowalski added, checking his abacus. He lit up in surprise. "Actually, almost exponential!"

Skipper smiled, feint punched Tarence, and tripped him. The trainee responded by rolling backward to create distance between them. He recovered, and let loose with some controlled punches to counter Skipper's. Skipper blocked all but one punch, and instead unleashed a counterstrike. The blow stunned Tarence, and Skipper smiled, seizing this opportunity. A swift kick to the beak, and the sparring session was over. Tarence stood, a little dazed, panting lightly.

"Good job, Tarence!" Private congratulated.

"Yaa!" Rico cheered.

"Thanks, everyone," Tarence half-smiled, regaining his breath. He then grinned sheepishly. "It's going to be a long time before I become half as good as anyone else, though."

Kowalski chuckled. "Well, you did better than I thought you would."

"I think so, too...!" Private smiled.

"Ditto," Rico added bluntly, but happily.

"Well, that is true. And might I add that you're showing great promise for a short noticed rookie," stated Skipper with an approving nod.

Tarence's smile increased a bit, and then faded.

"What's wrong," Skipper asked, worried a mite.

"Well, I'm flattered, but I shouldn't let this get to my head. I've got to focus! You guys should get the kudos, for taking me in so freely," Tarence replied modestly.

It took a bit to digest this, and Skipper recovered first. "We don't need the kudos. This isn't outside our norm. We don't even have a norm," Skipper explained to the slightly mislead penguin.

"Oh, okay," Tarence accepted this, though he still felt like the others caring for him was an onerous task and decision.

A forklift was driving over the base. Kowalski and Rico heard it first.

"Huh?" Rico frowned in curiosity.

"A forklift?" Kowalski wondered. "That may mean only one of two things."

The five penguins made their way to the surface, and proved Kowalski's theory, as the forklift left the habitat, and a crate was set at the center of the penguin's roof.

The label read, "Shipped from Britain. Use extreme caution: Live penguin!"

"Rico, crowbar!" Skipper ordered. But, by then, the crate had a hole in it already. An emperor penguin of short stature waddled out just as Rico regurgitated the crowbar. The penguin then bowed, and smiled with an elegant air seeming to "condense" around him.

"Good Afternoon, gents. The name is Charles. I'm simply charmed to make your acquaintance," Charles greeted.

"Yeah, charmed," Skipper greeted as they shook flippers. Charles looked around at the four others.

"I... was only informed there were four of you," Charles explained, eyes resting on Tarence. Feeling awkward, the newbie shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm pretty new here myself... the others should greet you first..." Tarence feebly grinned. He turned red, and waved his flippers in a " don't mind me" fashion, backing away.

As the others greeted Charles, Tarence managed to pull himself together. When it came to Tarence's greeting, however, he became nervous again. The two shook flippers, and Tarence greeted with, "Tarence, Mr. Charles."

"Please, just Charles," Charles corrected the unnerved penguin.

Tarence blushed and backed away again. "I guess I made things awkward," Tarence exclaimed softly, completely oblivious to the direction he was headed.

"Tarence, look out!" Private cried. But it was too late. Tarence vanished in an instant, followed by a startled cry, a bonk to the beak by the ladder, and a crunch of bones.

"Tarence...!" every penguin asked together.

"I'm okay, I think," Tarence groaned painfully. "A concussion, but I should be used to this."

Charles looked at Skipper quizzically.

Skipper explained, "He acquires head injuries constantly through training. He got 15 this past week."

Flashback

Tarence's head being smashed into concrete, hydrants, poles, and fences in an amusing montage.

End Flashback

Charles tried to contemplate how Tarence pulled through.

"Don't think about it. I did hear bones, though." Skipper finished.

Kowalski was already beside Tarence. "I will have to see what is broken," He said.

"Okay... Ow!" Tarence cringed agonizedly. The penguins then returned to base, and all was normal again. Though, what is Blowhole planning? And when are the penguins going to be targeted? What of Charles's past, and of the fate of Tarence? Find out next chapter!

(Clichéd!) XD X3


	6. 7: Visions and Secrets

"We're going to examine your ribcage, which is the most damaged part of your anatomy from the fall," Kowalski explained professionally, "and, thankfully is the only bone structure broken."

"Whew," Tarence was relieved.

"Now I need to perform rib surgery. Don't worry, though, because it will be painless," Kowalski assured.

"Since when are surgeries or splints painless?" Tarence was confused. And nervous.

"Like this," Kowalski answered, pulling out a mallet- like thing with holes on the receiving end.

Tarence swallowed hard, and winced as the mallet was brought down. It stopped right before impact, sending an indigo-colored powder over his beak. Tarence opened his eyes slowly. He inhaled some, and began drifting off, numb. "Wait," Tarence asked feebly, "are you sure there's no pain?"

"Only with no implosion," Kowalski joked.

"Get me out of here...!" Tarence chuckled. He drifted to dreamland, thinking of a tentacle.

The next day, Tarence awoke, feeling no pain. He looked around. He was in Kowalski's "bunk." The others were resuming their morning routines. Tarence felt his ribcage, to find it intact, much to his surprise. As he sat up, Kowalski waddled over, handing him a medium trout. "Eat up," Kowalski smiled. "You have to keep up your strength."

"Thanks, Kowalski," Tarence smiled back.

The day, being slow, caused Tarence to satisfy his boredom by sketching a couple swords joined by a chain. That would look cool, Tarence thought. When sketching felt tedious, the bird stripling made his way to Charles's side, inspecting him with innocent curiosity. "What ya doin?" Tarence smiled, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"None of your concern, Tarence... Now please take your leave," Charles demanded in a monotone demand.

"Are ya sure?" Charles looked at Tarence coldly. "Alright." Rolling his eyes, Tarence rubbed the back of his head with his flipper, and waddled off to Rico. "What's up?"

Rico disgorged a fountain of cheese. Tarence just nearly disgorged. Period.

"What a unique talent...!" Tarence feigned a grin, and Rico replied by fish-slapping Tarence in the face.

Tarence then went over to Private, and was about to say something witty, but stopped when he foresaw Private's sad face. It almost made _him_ cry. So he just said, "Hi", and moved on.

He went to Skipper to see what he was up to, and saw him in his cowboy alias. Tarence then said "hi", and was met with a "howdy."

"What brings you to the 'Alias Room?'" Skipper mulled over Tarence's sudden appearance in the room.

"I dunno, just bored," Tarence replied casually.

"OK, though you should probably go see if Kowalski needs some help on something," Skipper suggested.

"Oh yeah. I was going to see him next," Tarence nodded in approval of Skipper's idea. "Thanks!"

Tarence waddled over to Kowalski, and asked to spar. Kowalski replied with a polite "I'm busy... but, while you're there, could you hand me the star-tipped screwdriver?"

"This one?" Tarence asked, handing a screwdriver tipped with five ridges to the genius-at-work.

"Thank you," Kowalski grinned, as he finished his invention.

"I'm the guinea pig!" Tarence cracked.

"It's practically official!" Kowalski japed back.

Being a visionary (pun intended) ray, the invention made the subject able to see the past or future by contact, with the senses, of another living creature.

"Zap away, maestro!" Tarence declared, raising a flipper in a stunning pose.

"Zapping away," Kowalski replied, setting the laser to "past". The beam hit Tarence, and a flash of light erupted from Tarence's eyes.

"Uuugh..." Tarence felt vertiginous, as Kowalski might put it. (Dizzy, if you must know.) A flipper supported him, and Kowalski's voice came assuringly into focus. A blurry vision of a dolphin skimmed past his eyes. A vision...? thought the teen bewilderedly. Had it worked?

Tarence shook himself into consciousness. Not a moment later, _Kowalski_ attempted to shake him into consciousness.

"I'm fi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ine!" Tarence assured, his voice shaking with is body.

"Oh," Kowalski grew scarlet, releasing Tarence. "Sorry..."

"I saw..." Tarence began.

"Yes?" Kowalski almost drooled.

"A dolphin..." Tarence finished. "I barely saw any features..."

Kowalski's eager face was in denial, now drooling a bit, and a disgruntled Tarence stared at the genius as if he grew a second beak. "Uhh... eew..."

"Oh... sorry... Heheheh..." Kowalski grinned sheepishly. He seemed to have recovered quickly. Hmm... Kowalski thought... The dolphin he saw could be either Blowhole or...

Kowalski cringed.

"Uhh... Kowalski?" Tarence reminded his friend, moving his flipper across his lower beak.

"Huh...?" Kowalski mirrored Tarence, finding saliva dripping to his surprise. "Oh... Oops..."

Tarence waddled over to the main room. He saw Skipper, who immediately waddled over to Tarence's side.

"How did the test go?" he asked with swagger in his voice.

"Good, I think. We are testing now," Tarence replied.

Just as the last syllable came out, another vision materialized. This was another dolphin; however, it was much clearer. And, unlike the last, the face was shown directly; this face with a bionic eye. He could hear Skipper's voice in the background, as he shouted the name(?): "Blowhole!"

"*Blowhole...?*" Tarence whispered in contemplation of such a vision.

"WHAT!" Skipper yelped in shock, which in turn shocked Tarence.

"Oh! Um... nothing Skipper!" Tarence jumped back, and rushed back to Kowalski in a bit of panic. Kowalski met Tarence with a hearty "I messed up" look on his face: an extra big, nervous grin.

As they walked in, Tarence brought up the question bothering him since just not 1 minute ago: "Who's Blowhole?" The question came out feebly.

Kowalski froze. He looked at Tarence, nearly petrified with surprise and confusion, just as Skipper had. Kowalski, not you, too! Tarence thought halfheartedly.

"A vision, huh?" Kowalski concluded.

Nodding, Tarence saw Kowalski leave the room. "I'll discuss this with Skipper, so please wait here a minute." Kowalski instructed, and Tarence swallowed hard. If he could sweat, he would be living showerhead. Trying to forget the dissension he believed he caused, Tarence swayed in a bored fashion, leaning back and forth. Was this Blowhole the others' enemy? Probably.

Suddenly, the room began vibrating. And then mimicking Tarence's sways. And shaking violently. Uh oh... the aquatic bird gasped in great intensity. Kowalski and Skipper, followed by Private, Rico, Charles, and Marlene, rushed back to the room. Tarence was losing his balance.

"W-what's happening!" Private cried.

"Nothing good!" Tarence replied in desperation.

Is this his scheme? Charles wondered. My ex-partner?

The shaking oddly began to be replaced by utter calm.

"It's quiet," Tarence thought aloud.

"Too quiet..." Skipper murmured, though clearly.

Abruptly, a slime-covered tentacle burst through the HQ's ceiling.

Marlene was knocked out by falling debris, and the tentacle wrapped itself around Tarence's ankle. "Wha- HEY!"

"OH NO!" Kowalski yelled.

"TARENCE!" Private cried.

"TAARAAAAANCE!" Skipper roared with an intense volume.

"How did I not foresee this...?" Charles muttered.

"ACK!" Rico jumped back.

"OH CRAAAAAP!" Tarence shouted, getting pulled to lord knows what.

+/78+5

He then flew out of the zoo on the slime express, vanishing into the distance.


	7. 8:Horror of Reality

"Find your happy place... Find your happy place... Find your happy place!" Tarence chanted helplessly. Kowalski had already grabbed his jet pack and blasted off after the teen and his slimy limb captor. Skipper and Rico were putting their packs on, and Private was attempting to yank out _his_ pack from behind a mound of rubble. Charles was deep in thought, while Marlene was having a panic attack.

What is that dolphin planning? Charles wondered. What is his aim...?

"W-what are we going to do?," Marlene hyperventilated.

"We have this," Skipper assured. He turned to Rico and Private. "After that... thing!"

The three of them made haste, soaring above the zoo, and after Kowalski, Tarence, and "that... thing!".

"I'm coming, Tarence!" Kowalski yelled, while the receiving end was anything but assured.

Tarence was currently being dragged up and down stairs, through rosebushes, and repeatedly slammed against fire hydrants. He didn't have any time to hear Kowalski's voice; all Tarence's attention was focused on sheer amounts of pain.

Kowalski was barely keeping pace with the terrorizing tentacle, all the while weaving through and around everything that Tarence was getting smashed into. Suddenly, a flock of pigeons collided with Kowalski, and he swiveled, trying to regain control. The disgusting, green limb was reaching its destination. Having regained control, Kowalski hit the turbo to recover lost ground.

Meanwhile, the other three penguins were catching up to Kowalski with _their_ turbos.

"We're not going to make it!" Private screamed.

"Yes we ARE!" Skipper yelled, disagreeing with Private's remark. The three were catching up to Kowalski and his pack, but not within earshot.

Officer X came out of a muffin mart, only to see a great, green tentacle reeling something in, right before his very eyes. Staring in disbelief, he wished he had a camera. Then, X heard a wail coming closer, and coming fast. He recognized such a wail... such a familiar wail: Penguins!

Tarence was wailing in pain and fright. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Tarence was smacked into a built man. The man then screamed: "PENGUINS!"

Tarence shut his eyes, praying he wouldn't die... when suddenly he felt the pulling stop. Opening an eye, he realized he was upside-down. Feeling his own face, he grinned.

"I'm alive!... Not unscathed, but ALIVE!" Unfortunately, Tarence soon realized that now wasn't the time to be relieved. The flightless bird could only look on in horror as he dangled over a jagged maw. Its owner had a grisly, grotesque eye in the center, and a thin-membraned bubble covering a small brain. The brain floated in cytoplasmic liquid, not even attached. Now disturbed in multiple ways, Tarence was about to yell out "Einstein's Undies", just like what Kowalski might say. But before he could finish "Einstein's", A neon, green liquid shot out of one of the monstrosity's pores. Guess where it landed?

"AAAAUGH! *HACK! *HACK! SICK! VILE! MY MOUTH WAS **OPEN!**" Tarence wailed and coughed, writhing in absolute disgust. His face nearly turned as green as the beast, and contorted drastically. He didn't pay any attention to the over-sized golf-ball that had surfaced, or the sound of a opening hatch.

"I'm glad it isn't one of your most pleasant days, Kowal- wait... what?" A being came out of the pod, followed by a red lobster. Tarence gasped.

"Were almost there! Kowalski, how much more time do we have?" Skipper asked Kowalski, who was right in front of the others.

"There is less than three minutes..." Kowalski assured, not even bothering to glance at a clock. His gaze was focused at the Ellis Island port. I'm coming, amigo! Kowalski's thoughts screamed out, as if Tarence and Kowalski were telepathic. I won't let you die!

"Blowhole...!" Tarence whispered under his breath.

"_You're_ not Kowalski. Who are you?" Blowhole pried, his face showing a twinge of confusion.

"Someone whom you could let go, and pretend this whole accident never happened?" Tarence suggested, laughing nervously.

Blowhole shook his head and chuckled, half-grinning. "That's not a likely option... Actually, it's little more than a feeble attempt of escape."

"Yeah, I didn't think that would work..." Tarence admitted, rubbing the back of his sleek head.

"Now, tell me who you really are..." Blowhole turned around on his segway, and stopped, waiting for an answer.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure who I really am, but you _**really**_ don't have to dissect me!" Tarence replied, trying to stall, and remain anonymous at the same time.

"Of COURSE not!" Blowhole yelled, shaking his head. "That wouldn't solve anything!" What a morbid remark... Blowhole thought to himself. This is a Y7 series!

"I see them!" Private cried.

"As do I!" Kowalski agreed, feeling quite hopeful.

"Onward, men! Blowhole's got 'em!" Skipper yelled.

"Eeeew!" Rico grunted, looking at the creature of "Disturbia."

"Ghastly!" Private shuddered.

"Einstein's UNDIES!" Kowalski screamed.

"That is one messed up space squid!" Skipper commented. "After 'em boys!"

Blowhole looked Tarence directly in the eye. "You're testing my patience. Tell me who you are!" the mad dolphin raged.

"A teenage penguin with moderate knowledge in martial arts, and average knowledge in basically everything else..." Tarence stalled half-grinning.

"Your stalling! Drop him!" Blowhole screamed in frustration. Tarence was released, about to be swallowed by the abomination. I blew it! Tarence thought, his eyes tightly shut. I'm gonna die!

"Gotcha!" Kowalski's flippers grabbed hold, as his voice assured Tarence's safety.

"Wow, am I ever glad to see you guys!" Tarence sighed with relief.

"I will make sure that you aren't eaten by a gelatinous monstrosity! No one deserves to die that way!" Tarence and Kowalski's distance from the creature had increased drastically, but that hadn't helped much...

"Kowalski, look out!" Private cried, as a tentacle swung at the pair, about to hit the pack clean off.

Tarence pointed at the limber limb. "In comiiiiing!" he warned, eyes widening.


	8. 9:'Ello Squidy!

Kowalski artfully dodged the tentacle, and pursued a spot to hide Tarence so that the others could slay the beast. Tarence was informing Kowalski how to evade each tentacle, as they made their way to the top of an immense skyscraper. Tarence's head felt light as the duo made it to the top, and the air thinned.

"Uh, Kowalski... this is pretty high..." Tarence nervously spoke, almost at a whisper.

"Just stay near the center," Kowalski uttered tranquilizing words, letting Tarence know he would be fine. "We'll pick you up when it's all over."

Kowalski placing the recruit down, flew off. Seizing the opportunity, Tarence hid behind the large antenna. The monster looked like it actually was of appropriate size for an octopus. Kowalski began to shrink past ant size, the distance growing between the two. The horizon was a dark gray; clouds began to cluster, and the outlook was just as dreary and mournful.

_Good luck, you guys_, Tarence thought, seeing the foursome as mere specks of dust on the gloomy, horizontal plane.

"Alright, Kowalski, options!" Skipper yelled.

"We need to find a way to pierce that cavity!" Kowalski analyzed quickly. "It will stop any functions the creature would have, because of the brain's lack of union with the skull... If it has one..."

"Okay, but what can we stab into that disgusting bubble?"

"Anything. The bubble is thinnest on the top." Kowalski told Skipper, before crying out when narrowly missing a laser. Then a tentacle swung at the genius, and he dove down to escape.

"Rico, broadsword!" Skipper exclaimed, and Rico coughed up the sword. Diving swiftly, Skipper artfully caught the blade by the pyrite-like hilt.

"No you don't! I shall be victorious!" Blowhole cackled, zapping the sword from Skipper's flippers.

The sword fell down, slicing through the beast's sac, and stabbing into one tentacle.

In anguish, the beast roared at an unbelievable magnitude. The gang fell, covering their ear-holes in agony. Tarence stood up from his post, and waddled over closer to try to see what had been going on.

The sac burst, and green slime spewed out in all directions. The gash in the sac released the brain, which fell into the dumpster by the coastal factory. The screaming stopped, and Skipper rose up to Blowhole with a sneer.

"We win _again_! Looks like we have too _many_ wins. Oh_ well_!" Skipper taunted.

Blowhole scowled at his arch. The mad doctor raged, slamming his dashboard.

"YES! THEY DID IT!" Tarence jumped and danced around, running to the edge. He stopped mid-stride, and, with great elation, screamed "IN YOUR FACE, NUMSKULL!"

Blowhole heard the scream, as did the others. The dolphin's face turned red.

Tarence's taunts continued, relinquishing his spot, unbeknown to the young non-avian bird. Blowhole rocketed up to the towering building, and promptly scaled it.

"What's the matter dunce, can't take a hit?" Tarence jeered, and he punched the air. "I can't think of any genius less inarticulate and obtuse! And the best part is, you can't even-" Suddenly, Blowhole flew up to the top, in front of his tiny new adversary. "...hear... me..." Blowhole now sneered. Tarence laughed uneasily.

"I'm screwed." Tarence sheepishly grinned. Blowhole spitefully blasted Tarence, and then cast a tractor beam. The doctor flung the disheveled penguin off the building. "I don't _want to_ be splatter on a billboard!" Tarence yelled.

"_I _don't want a friend to die!" Kowalski shouted. Catching Tarence, Kowalski made a sharp turn to attack Blowhole. "Pull the string!" Kowalski cried. A thread hung over Tarence's beak, and the bird promptly yanked on it. A dynamite stick dropped down, nearly missing the dolphin, but providing enough time for Skipper to divert Blowhole away from the rest of the team.

"Eat THIS!" A cloud of Kowalski's knockout gas billowed out, and Blowhole began dozing. The villain then hit the autopilot, and fled the skies.

Meanwhile, Marlene had hid, and Charles looked through the penguins objects. _Hmm_, he thought, curiously filing through personal files. He then stopped, and fixed everything, aside from the giant gaping hole in the ceiling.

"A-are t-they b-back yet?" Marlene asked, looking over her shoulder from the corner she was cowering in.

"You asked me that almost a dozen times..." Charles pointed out.

"S-sorry..." Marlene curled up even tighter.

Charles glanced upward, and saw the others about to land.

Marlene perked up, and dashed to the surface. "Guys! Welcome home!" she cheered.

As night fell, the ceiling was fixed, and Tarence felt like lead.

"I'll sleep outside, tonight..." he told Kowalski.

"Okay, then. Goodnight, trooper." Kowalski replied.

" G'nite..." Tarence yawned.

As everyone slept, Charles looked up at the boy. _What are his secrets? _He wondered.


	9. 10:Restive Scales

Morning reared its illuminative head over Central Park. Skipper and Private were having their daily cup of Joe, Kowalski was envelope pushing again, and Rico was out cold. Charles was studying old blueprints of Kowalski's.

Meanwhile, outside, Tarence began to stir. He let out a hearty yawn, and sat up. He then stretched, and began to walk towards the ladder. He stumbled gracelessly down the ladder, turned to see the others, and smiled soporifically.

"Mornin'..." he lethargically greeted, and rubbed an eye.

"Morning, Tarence!" Private cheerfully responded. Rico then stirred, and stood half-asleep by the bunks. He waddled over to the coffee machine, and brewed some Joe, which he promptly ingested. Tarence waved to Rico, who then burped confetti. Tarence shook his head with a smirk on his beak.

"Simple things amuse simple minds, I suppose," Charles commented dryly, his eyes not leaving the nanites page, and his gaze in a stone stare. He blinked. Getting up, Charles waddled over to the ladder. "I'll be _back_."

"That Charles sure is a _strange_ one, isn't 'e?" Tarence mocked Charles's accent, and smiled daintily.

"Yeah, but only a little," Kowalski replied. "That was a _pretty_ good imitation, there, by the way."

"Thanks," Tarence grinned, beaming a bit. A TV broadcast flashed on the screen.

"Something's on," Private noticed.

"Turn it up," Skipper ordered.

Rico clicked the remote's volume button a couple times.

"-,a Hoboken Zoo escapee we've had before, has traveled across the state of New Jersey, and again to New York. The reasons are still not yet clear, but perhaps for vengeance like the last time. We'll bring you more when we receive news."

The TV turned off.

"Huh? _Last_ time?" Tarence scratched his head. "What was_ that_ all about?" He turned around, to see Private in a ball, and the rest engaged in an angered stare. "Uh, guys?"

"_**Savio**_," Skipper whispered. Tarence frowned.

"_Mind_ filling me in?" Tarence asked, concern shadowing his face.

"A boa with a nasty temper, that was defeated several times." Kowalski began.

"And it was _never_ **US **that beat him!" Skipper shouted with choleric intensity.

Rico hopped around wildly, grunting in displeasure.

"Plus, he temporarily swallowed Marlene, Private, and the lemurs," Kowalski finished. "He is a crafty, _devious_ threat."

"_Oh_ yes..." muttered Skipper. "_**this**_ time..."

Tarence stole a gaze at Skipper intently.

"I'm back with snow cones..." Charles called, jumping down, and meeting a room filled with tension. The emperor penguin noticed Private shivering. "What 'as just 'appened, comrades?"

"Nothing good," Tarence replied, "because of an enormous snake taking revenge on us... erm... _them_?" He frowned. "I _think_ we are in trouble. Right?"

Suddenly, Julian dropped down, carrying a small trumpet with him. Mort and Maurice had a set of cymbals. "Looky what _I_ got!" The conceited nuisance blasted the horn loudly in Skipper's face. Skipper jolted away, and bumped into Tarence, who reeled back.

"Ack!"

"_**Dang**_ it, Ringtail! It is _no_ time for games! _**Savio's**_ out again!" Skipper retorted, frustrated.

"AyeAyAye! The snake!" Julian backed away, and ran out. Maurice had shown a face of disturbance, and ran off, too. Mort just ran after them. Each dropped their item.

"Wait for _me_, feet!" Mort cried.

Julian leapt down again, grabbed the trumpet, and zipped up the ladder again without missing a beat.

"_Okay_, then..." Tarence sighed.

"What's the plan?" Skipper asked.

"Hmmm..." Kowalski thought. "_**Eurika**_! I have an idea!"

Ten minutes later...

"That just _might_ work!" Private cried.

"And we can have help from Kitka!" Skipper ecstatically offered.

"Who's Kitka?" Tarence asked innocently.

"A female peregrine falcon _Falco peregrinus_... perfect for this aerial Assault!" Kowalski explained, happy that the plan was without opposition.

"Awesome!" Tarence grinned, looking at Charles. The elegant bird merely nodded in approval.

"Then we've all agreed, then?" Private chimed in.

"Yes, young Private," Skipper answered. "It's unanimous; 'Operation: Tasteful Bomber' is a-go!"


	10. 11:Plan XS Collapses: Savio Returns!

"Alright, Tarence," Skipper introduced. "This is Kitka!" Tarence shook Kitka's wing with his right flipper.

"Greetings!" Tarence smiled at the falcon. Kitka merely smiled back, then frowned. Tarence could tell it was because of the reason she was here.

"I'd only hope for a different time for a visit." she finally replied, though she was glancing at the other penguins solemnly.

"Do not worry, everyone," Kowalski announced. "My plan is impeccable!"

"Hopefully, this plan is truly anything _but_ flawed."

Kitka and the others looked at the other new member. "Oh, yeah, this is Charles. He is new here, as well. But he was and is still skilled. He already had experience with many missions... all solo," Skipper seemed to force back his twinge of jealousy, as he didn't want to show it to Kitka. Private, Rico, and Kowalski already knew of why Skipper had a small eye tick, and immediately started laughing to themselves. Private was giggling, Kowalski was snickering with a small snort, and Rico just chuckled once. Kitka, Tarence, and Charles were confused, until Skipper glared at his oldest companions.

Tarence couldn't help but let out a muffled crack of, "He's gotta crush..." under his breath, while grinning widely. Right before Kitka turned around, Skipper tackled the teen in a yin-yang fashion, pinning Tarence under a forceful pair of annoyed flippers.

"SHUUSHH!" Skipper whispered with an embarrassed scowl.

"Sorry, Skipper!" Tarence apologized quietly, but still smiling ear-hole to ear-hole.

Skipper got off his rookie, and began speaking clear again: "And that is why you should remain frosty! Especially against Savio! You got that?!"

Tarence knew what direction this was going. He replied to Skipper quickly: "YES SIR!"

"Yeah... that's the reason..." Kowalski murmured under a flipper, drawing laughs from the others, minus Charles and, obviously, Skipper. Kitka laughed, too.

"I'm sure you all have forgotten just why we are all here," Charles calmly frowned, abruptly ending the merriment. "We are dealing with a boa constrictor."

"Right, we should be ready in another five minutes," Kowalski corrected himself, and took out his abacus. "Savio should be here in fourteen minutes."

"Nine minutes, that will be not long at all..." Tarence was about to shudder. Private already started to.

"We need to get the electric fence and leftover mines. This will be unguarded, for Savio could use one of us to break the fence. And that was prior knowledge, because Private and Maurice were used from the minefield." Kowalski explained, remembering his side shocking him and Mort that night. Private instantly seemed more upset at the memory. Tarence cringed, wondering how they pulled through.

"So we use an aerial assault, to catch him off guard," Kowalski continued. "A land dweller wouldn't see such combat very helpful. As the butter is dumped, Savio will not be able to move well. And then, we will trap him in a cage, with wire mesh for good measure."

Tarence was happy to see Kowalski being his smart self, while using words that others would know, besides Charles and the teen, himself.

"And we send a signal to Hoboken. Just like the second time," the genius finished the plan.

"That was simple, but brilliant!" Skipper praised.

The front lines were the electric fencing and mines. The dirty brown of the mines were covered in dirt and grass. They lined the fence uniformly, and the fence had been turned on.

The second line was for Kitka, Rico, and Skipper, and the aerial attack. Charles would watch from above, to tell the Air Team where the target was.

The third line was with Burt, Roy, Joey, Bada, and Bing. No explanations needed.

If the third line failed, which was highly doubted by Skipper, then the fourth line was the shield circle. Or, circles. A small butter squirter was in each circle. Marlene, Tarence, and Private had the guns. Kowalski also had a more powerful Super Soaker loaded with butter for himself. King Julian wanted no part of the plan, and Maurice and Mort were "decreed" not to take part in the snake capturing.

Eight minutes later, everyone was in wait. Tarence was picking up his gun, when Marlene came from behind. "Hey, Kowalski, why are you here? And where's Tar-" Tarence turned around. "oops..."

Tarence seemed unamused, but then his face lit up. "I know!" He turned, and began mussing up four feathers. He let out a groan, then a satisfied, "Hmm..." He turned back to face Marlene.

"Ah, slick!" the otter winked, pointing both fingers at Tarence. And he made his point... of feathers, that is!

"Tarence, Marlene, get ready!" Private cried, and the three heard shouting from the other end of the zoo. The three positioned the shields for the others if they failed.

"Kitka, we have a snake in our sights!" Skipper shouted.

"I see him!" Kitka replied. Savio darted off into the forest shadows. "And now I don't..."

"Charles, where is Savio?" Skipper called over intercom. A static voiced Charles came through.

"He is by the otter habitat- I lost him... He had a small ma- oh dear... I can't see anyone... It seems like they just dis-" Then nothing but crackling static.

"CHAAARRALLEESS!"

Skipper and Kitka dove into the room Charles's post had been.

"Gone!" Kitka cried. Skipper wasn't pleased. Snake skin was on the floor, next to the mic.

"Stay here..." Skipper ordered. "If I don't come back, run!"

Kitka nodded warily. The leader strode around the corner, when he gasped, "So that's what's going on! Darn you C-" He began to struggle, as Kitka flew away, out the window.

Joey had seen bigger foes. He could take a snake. Couldn't he? The kangaroo stood guard over the knocked out Burt and Roy, with Bada and Bing placing banana peels around them.

"Alright, snake! Joey's gonna smash you like a bug!" His war cries would soon cease, as a net trapped him. Two more trapped the gorillas. "What, the-?" Rocks suddenly fell on the mammals' heads, knocking them out.

Suddenly, Kitka flew back. "I can't find Skipper or that Charles guy!"

"What?!" Marlene, Tarence, and Private exclaimed in unison.

Suddenly, a screaming koala ran and smashed into Tarence. It was Leonard.

"A-another Penguin?! NOOOOOO!" Leonard shrieked.

"Calm down, Leonard!" Private cried, not even following his own advice. He was scared for Skipper and Charles.

"What happened?" Tarence tried to pry an answer from Leonard's lips, but Leonard could only cry, "SNAKE!"

"I know there's a snake! We're fending for our lives!" Tarence retorted, unaware that there was more to this specific yelp. Tarence threw a shield to Leonard, who only ran in terror to Tarence's left. Tarence then felt terrified, and leaned down to fetch his own shield. But there was just cold concrete. Private then shivered, noticing no one but Kitka and Leonard had come back. He looked to where Leonard's scream pointed to, and ran off, knowing that two shields wouldn't work.

"P-private?" Tarence asked to nothingness, as Marlene had vanished as well. The fences and habitats suddenly looked like a carnivore's perfect hiding places. The dining tables seemed like the stiff penguin's final glimpse of the outside. "On my back!" Kitka cried, landing quickly.

"R-right!" Tarence nodded hurriedly, leaping on the female falcon's flawlessly glossy back. "Hurry!"

"Roger!" Kitka launched from the ground, with Tarence on her back.

"There's Private!" Tarence shouted, leaning forward and pointing with his flipper. Kitka swiftly decended on the penguin, snatching him up with her talons. They made their way to the roof, and an exhausted falcon landed on top.

"Alright, so what do we do, Private? Kitka?" Tarence asked, not knowing anything that would aid them.

"Do you still have the butter guns?" Private asked.

Tarence froze, feeling a dreadful tingle down his back. He had completely forgot to get it. He had been too afraid, and dropped it. "Crap..."

Out of the blue, Kowalski leaped onto the roof, with some weird boots on.

"Savio's working with someone! And I know who it is!" Kowalski wheezed, exhausted. As if on cue, a shadow of a certain boa, and a familiar sleek, red and furry adversary, crawled over Kowalski's back.

"Looking for someone?" the boa and mammal asked in united cruelty.


	11. 12:Lemur vs Penguin: Tarence's Rage

"S-savio! And Clemson!" Kowalski exclaimed, stammering in fear. Private huddled behind Kitka, despite his small doubts of the falcon's diet.

"A mammal helping a snake?! That doesn't compute at all!" Tarence cried.

"So those are the two causing all the trouble..." Kitka mumbled, grimacing.

"Yes, this is a team effort. Too hard for the brainiac to _swallow_?" Savio taunted, smirking at the offense he had dealt Kowalski.

Kowalski fumed. "I_ already_ knew it!" He cried, acting coincident to Tarence, who angrily said, "He already knew it!"

The snake and lemur just chortled (yes, I just said "chortled"), and then Clemson began to taunt and degrade Kowalski further.

"Looks to me like Skipper isn't coming around." Kitka growled at this. Clemson didn't notice. "And neither is Rico. Though, I'd say that new guy is skilled. Too bad that he didn't see me coming into the equation."

Tarence began to advance on the villains, an unruly rage swelling inside his heart. Who did they think they were, spitting on his friends' bonds and teamwork? He halted, an inch closer to the lemur than Kowalski, his right flipper balled into a "fist".

The rooftop seemed to sway under Kowalski's feet, as he saw the rookie stand up to the two dangerous adversaries. What was Tarence doing? He's going to kill himself!

"Aw, the _rookie's_ coming! Everybody _look out_!" Clemson jeered at Tarence, thinking nothing of the stripling's utter fury that seared through cold eyes. Savio saw this coming, and he was awaiting the outcome of Clemson's foolish teasing. "Do you know that I am twice as smart as that twit, Kowalski? Guess you're student to an idio-"

Tarence quickly lashed out, landing a right hook to the lemur's face, stopping the jeer near the end, and sending him skidding to the far left of the roof. Clemson was OHKO 'ed for a brief moment, until he awoke from the stunning blow momentarily. This gave Tarence enough time to close the distance, and attempt to left-swipe at Clemson, who dove to Tarence's left, narrowly escaping the potential knockout. The red lemur was actually surprised, and began to fret inside.

"Okay, so he's actually good..." Clemson muttered.

"Tarence? How did he-" Kowalski was surprised at his friend's fearless defense of the scientist's reputation and pride.

"Play time is over. Time to be _fed_ some consequences, little bird!" Savio smirked, and slid rapidly in front of an angered Tarence, as he coiled around the penguin and squeezed.

"Oh dear...!" Private whimpered, and Kitka scowled in irritation. The falcon took off suddenly, to the dismay of Private, and rushed Savio, who dropped Tarence. Tarence slid away, then commenced to back-flip, spin 540 degrees, and land on his right foot.

"Kowalski won't be mocked... EVER!" Tarence muttered, then exclaimed the final word. He waddled/ran to Clemson, and kicked him in the face, sending him off the roof. Clemson landed in a bush, softening his fall. Tarence stopped pursuing the lemur, focusing on Savio now.

The boa had coiled around Kitka now. Kowalski hooked Savio, to no avail. Private then tried to muster up courage to face the snake. However, the young penguin could barely move an inch. He knew what Savio could do. And by do, he meant eat.

Tarence knew there was little he could do, so he attempted some thing rash: the amateur "glomped" Savio's face! The boa frantically tried to throw Tarence off, but the penguin held on tight, to free Kitka and give his three friends the time to flee.

"Fish if harr roo haff in one _shifting_! Gert off _mai fash_!" Savio shouted, muffled by Tarence's desperate grip.

"RUN!" Tarence yelled, and Kitka took off with Kowalski and Private on her back.

Savio finally shook Tarence off his face, and the teen somersaulted at the landing, cushioning the tosses' impact. He stood on his feet, bracing himself for the worst, in a fighting stance. _Here he comes!_

**Sorry for the short chapter... I just wanted to get this ou of the way. So yeah, it's Clemson, and Tarence finally shows some aggression! That makes two lemurs he hates! First one being Julian. NO one calls Kowalski a "twit", or "idiot"!**

** For random, here's my intelligence level(s) for the chapter. Below are the Power level(s):**

** Tarence:**

** IQ: 173**

** PL: 9**

** Kowalski:**

** IQ: 300**

** PL:11**

** Kitka:**

** IQ: 145**

** PL:15**

** Private:**

** IQ:140**

** PL:10**

** Clemson:**

** IQ:176**

** PL:0.5**

** Savio:**

** IQ:144**

** PL:23**

** Charles:**

** IQ:260**

** PL:12**

** Skipper:**

** IQ:145**

** PL:16**

** Rico:**

** IQ:89**

** PL:20**

** Marlene:**

** IQ:140**

** PL:0.5**


	12. 13: Savio to Kid: Misleading Chapter

"RRRRRGGH!" Tarence growled angrily. He was clutching Savio's jaws, exerting all of his flippers' power to keep the gullet closed. The boa, meanwhile, was tearing to and fro, attempting to send Tarence flying. After Kitka, Private, and Kowalski were out of sight, Savio managed to launch his attacker in the air. Tarence's limbs flailed wildly, as his body shot up, lost momentum, and plummeted down. Before he fell to the ground, a balloon was sent on a collision course for the greenhorn's head. And then, POPP!

"Ah," Savio smiled maliciously, catching his prey in his mouth, then dropping him into a small, cylindrical container. The serpent capped it with a punctured lid. The buckle on the lid sealed it shut. "What a voluptuous catch." Savio was grinning now, his mouth watering. "With a dark meat ratio..." Inside the cylinder, Tarence shuddered, getting the chills.

"Oh, no..." he whispered a plaint, soft enough to escape Savio's ear-holes. "I'm doomed."

Meanwhile, Kitka and Private had captured Clemson in a roll of toilet paper. "How did this happen...?" Clemson was peeved beyond measure. A single roll of butt wipers... that's what he was defeated with. He was indubitably in utter denial.

Kowalski had recovered everyone captured, finding Skipper, as well as everyone else, in the reptile house's old boa tank. It was quite cramped, and Mort was on the bottom, along with Rico and Charles. The two penguins were not pleased, particularly with a certain "Julian Matter" of "'da king must' a be on top of his subjects." As such, they were relieved when they were freed from a terrible lockdown with a batch of morons.

"Now, we should be going back, for Clemson is out of the picture," Kowalski said, feeling proud of the complete troll he was towards the "eeeeviiil!" lemur "sidekick". He came up with the toilet paper scheme.

"Now to finish that no good boa for real this time!" Skipper declared. Just then, though, a small, navy blue cylinder flew through an open window, landing on Skipper's head, rebounding, and landing on Private's back, while the adorable bird tried to escape the collision. Soon afterwards, Savio slid through the window as well. It was now serpent v.s. Central Park... Who would win in the end?

"HAHA!" Kowalski yelled in triumph, as he sprayed Savio with butter. But the snake nabbed the container and shielded himself with it, holes first. He then undid the buckle, and opened the container, his mouth open.

"Down the hatch!" Savio blithely swallowed whoever was in the container, or so he thought he would do. A terrible flavor plagued the boa's tongue, and he spit a repulsed Tarence out.

"EEEEEEEW!" Tarence complained, soaked and dripping as he landed on all fours, and pushed his body on his right foot. His flippers were angled in a disgusted fashion; his beak in a contorted snarl. The pavement of the reptile house began to get dripped salivation on it. Private shuddered.

Tarence began to wipe his flippers off, and Kowalski came to his friend's side, but stopped short of the drool puddle, looking quite hesitant to touch Tarence at all. Somehow, the feathers that Tarence rearranged on his head stood miraculously in place, even after the trouble he endured, and Tarence was merely revolted, instead of beaten or harmed.

"Are you alright, Tarence?" Kowalski pried. Tarence just laughed sarcastically.

"Just grossed out..." Tarence smiled, then resumed wiping his flippers, looking at the right one in a cringed expression.

"Savio, this kid doesn't even know you," Skipper seemed to scold. "And he just got through a lot a couple days ago... What a jerk you are!"

"Thank you. I try!" Savio beamed, then shook his head indignantly. "Not that I knew that, anyway! I will, however, beat you all with a stick!"

"Ha! A stick! You couldn't believe that-" Skipper satirically laughed and hooted.

Savio whipped out a teched-out rod. It had a laser gun on the end, as well as an ax. "From Hoboken!" Everyone went dead silent. Savio had a venomous, glaring grin on his face, and Charles merely smiled back. With every creature in the room staring, Charles waltzed up to Savio; and on the spur of the moment, he swung a familiar mallet at the snake's head, stopping short. Indigo powder filled Savio's eyes and nostrils, and the boa began to doze. Kowalski and Tarence openly wore troubled expressions, musing about how Charles had discovered the mallet at all.

Finally, the day was done. As the big animals were freed, Savio and Clemson were once again put inside the Hoboken Zoo. The weeks passed, and by next month, it was another zoo field trip. The sun was high in the sky, but the wind was bitterly cold, and leaves began to rustle and drift everywhere.

"Cute and cuddly, boys!" Skipper ordered, and every penguin began their usual activities. This was a preschool trip, consisting of many eager four year olds. Alice was less eager, however, and soon began her usual "dreadful" tour of CPZ. When the group stopped at the Penguin exhibit, The penguins waved back. It seemed to be a normal day, except for the little boy that encompassed the cage after running to the other side. The boy's tan hair fluttered in the wind, and his face became candid with rapture. Being so overcome with sheer joy, the child also appeared to have an unequaled measure of innocence. A grin from ear to ear, a shimmering in his eyes, and a spring in his step had shown Skipper the boy's facination with penguins. Kowalski, Private, Rico, and Charles turned towards the preschooler, waving cheerily. Before Tarence turned around, the boy lowered to a kneel, stooping next to the habitat, still with that powerfully adorable grin.

"Auugh... ak... huh...?" Tarence seemed to be stupified at the toddler. The others glanced at him quizzically.

"What's up, Rookie?" Skipper whispered, still smiling and waving. His answer soon came, however, in the sentence by the child: "Hi, penguins! My name is Max! What's yours?"

"What is this?!" Blowhole exclaimed. A large computer screen had two double helix's shown on it, both of which mostly matched. One was labeled "Kowalski", and the other, "New Rookie". "Ah, I see what happened. They have found a way to recruit new members by metamorphosis. Unless it was a Kowalski mishap... Ha HA!" The doctor began to chuckle evilly. "We will see who's laughing, soon! Red One, bring out the specimen DNA sample of the stranger from several weeks and months ago!"

"Yeah, Doc! Here it is!" the red lobster replied, complying with what Blowhole ordered. A third DNA double helix appeared, holding the one difference between the two previous samples.

"Ah, so his name is Tarence... and his family?" Another screen popped up with a police report. "Dead... aside from the _infant_... whom had gone MIA... and is actually at the Central Park Zoo right now!" Blowhole cried in surprise, as a small screen popped up in the corner, showing the penguins and a toddler. One penguin had disturbed the maniacal dolphin, as he was the only separate species amongst the crowd. "Red one, enlarge the image!" The lobster enlarged the police report. "Not _that_ one! The one of the _Penguin's HQ_!" The screen corrected itself, and Blowhole's suspicions had been confirmed. "It's _him_..." Turning his segway, Blowhole grimaced, then smiled maliciously. "This will make revenge that much more enjoyable!"

** So, what's up, again?! I am going to inform you guys that these extra parts will not always happen. Only sometimes! Anyways, do you remember who's placement from what revealed this chapter goes where from previous chapters? If you do, I salute you! If you remember some, then I still salute you! If you didn't read at all, and stuff, then read from the beginning! If you have barely to no memory at all, I'll salute you for guessing or rereading anything! So Savio's been beaten, and the next saga starts. (Though, how can you call barely two chapters a saga? But, I digress!) If you haven't guessed yet, this is the fourth Saga coming up. The previous sagas were:**

**Intro Saga: Ch Prologue – 6**

**Blowhole Saga: Ch 7 – 11**

**Savio/Clemson Saga: Ch 11 – 13**

**? Saga: 14-?**

** Please note that the prologue and chapter 1 are in another file(s). They are not in the same fic as this one. This was because I didn't know how to make a multi chapter story until this one. But it is still technically the same story! Ask me or TheSkySpiritsTalentShow! (On second thought, please don't annoy tSSTS! Just bug me!) Anyways, thank you for the many views, and to my loyal fans! Perhaps my fanbase will grow, but thankfully I have the best viewers I can hope for! Well over 500 views! Maybe soon, 6-700? Who knows?**

** Also, for those that were thinking of reading any chapters on the Red Squirrel, that's what is next! Blowhole will come later... he needs to do things and stuff and non-descriptive junk! And also, someone's Uncle's coming to CP for a second trip! Can you guess? XD**

** Finally, I have the business of telling you all: after this chapter, another character is going to be added to the Zoo. If you read the description, you already know! Unless you can't count, that is... (Sorry if I offend, but it IS simple arithmetic). And that character is a GIRL! From JAPAN! And I would add this BECAUSE I have an undying fixation with Japan. Why? Two words: Anime & Manga! XD**

** See ya folks! XD**


	13. 14: Cronos Kidsmas Part 1

Introducing...

A ShinyShiza Production

Written by ShinyShiza

…

**Penguin Cronos: The Penguin Cronos Christmas!**

A month later, Max was already a penguin, and learned how to waddle and swim like one, too. And with a child, comes wild trouble. Tarence's current motto that certain day was "Kids should NEVER have hatchets. Or fire extinguishers. In the SAME place. **EVER**!" Later, the penguins got a surprise new member, Lea, who was rough and tough, but was also a girl. Skipper was at first very suspicious, as was Charles. But eventually, like the others, they soon warmed up to her. Or at least to her presence. Tarence was very happy to see a girl there (especially in the same age group), and made haste in showing her around the zoo. And the teens soon became (somewhat) acquainted. And then there were eight... Then a special morning dawned on the cold but calm Central Park Zoo.

It was around Christmas week. Finally. And it was that time of year again, and upcoming was Kidsmas again as well. Charles never had this holiday, or at least the kidsmas kind, and was curious. Lea, who was from a Japanese zoo, and an aggressive female penguin at that, was not used to such a "strange" and "wimptastic" holiday. She reluctantly decided to join in, as she had developed a small "liking to the guy with 'promise'". Speaking of which, as Tarence's and Max's first Christmas together, and first Kidsmas, too, _they_ were a bit curious. Tarence asked Kowalski professionally, and Eggy was telling Max of the magic of Kidsmas in the past few years. Max raced back to tell Tarence what Eggy had said. And the festivities were set up, with Tarence pitching in to make every moment special for the children. Max even helped out, too.

Charles passed out snow-cones to everyone, and Marlene helped Kowalski and Mason put up the "Charles Dickens" decorations(From last year... They were fixed). Rico made many ice sculptures, all of bombs and chainsaws, except an enormous sculpture of a fish. It had a Santa Claus hat on it.

"3 days and counting..." Kowalski smiled.

"This might be the most fun I had during the holidays since I was 11," Tarence admitted.

No one (at least from the penguins' HQ) really had to ask why. Max and Eggy were chasing each other on small custom toboggans, and Roy had a wreath around his horn. Burt had lights arranged around an enormous tree, and Kowalski hung up the ornaments. Skipper, with a Santa cap, helped Private find the star, which was agreed to be secret about who was to put up the key piece. Phil hung candy canes, and Joey made a small fire.

"I like this candy cane thing!" Julian smiled, sucking on one. Mort sucked on a cane, too, and Maurice hung a dozen wreaths in the reptile house. Mort was thinking his usual "feet" stuff, and Tarence, along with Max, raced to get the others gifts.

"What about this?" Max asked. He held up a new, durable-looking calculator.

"That's great!" Tarence grinned. Kowalski would love it, considering Rico broke his last one.

Max got Private a Lunacorn, and Tarence got Rico water balloons, soda, fish, and pop pebbles. Max also found a knife sharpener for Rico's swords, and candy for Eggy and his siblings. Tarence found peanuts for Burt, hay for Roy, a lounge chair for Julian(begrudgingly), and a Jumbo Pack of Winkies for Private. They got fine imported china for Charles, and another lounge chair for Maurice. A bag of candy for Mort, an MP6 music player for Julian (solar powered, and still begrudgingly) and a miniature army helmet for Skipper completed the first round of shopping. The second round was started by wind chimes for Marlene, a soccer ball for each badger, a sandbag for Joey, herbs for Leonard, waterproof incense candles for the flamingo (her name Tarence had forgotten), and the polar bear(Tarence forgot) got a pillow. Max the moon cat got a scratching post, Bada and Bing got loads of bananas, and Fred a bandanna. Tarence made custom slippers for Barry, a handmade marble chess set for Phil and Mason, and a pair of war fans for Lea. The two of them also got a miniature ace pilot hat for Kitka, and a pair of oven mitts and a cookie sheet for Ma.

Tarence secretly got little Max a bandanna reading "Little Ninja" on it.

Tarence and Max collapsed in Tarence's bunk.

"Wow, big brother... I'm tired..." Max sighed, holding a small object close to him.

"Hey, Max, what's that?" Tarence asked the tot, left flipper pointed at whatever it was.

"You can't see it yet! It's a surprise!" Max suddenly cried, squeezing it tighter.

"Oh, okay! I'll wait."

"You _better_!"

Tarence laughed, then got back up, and went to continue helping. Max scooted to the edge of the bunk, and hopped off, trailing in his brother's shadow.

'I hope I can wrap it before it's too late...' Max thought.

"Hey, Max? Wrap it now, and label it. I don't want to know yet," Tarence's voice called down from the ladder.

"'Kay!" Max confirmed, running over to the wrapping paper, stashed in Kowalski's lab. After opening the door, Max peered cautiously inside, and tiptoed around the room, glancing around at the wondrous inventions that he heard about on occasion. Then, setting his eyes to the paper, Max wrapped the gift up, hid it under the living room table, and closed the lab door.

"Ello, lil' chap! What were you doin' in there?" a British voice called out. Max looked at the source, who turned out to be another penguin, but vastly different than certain other British penguins he knew. He was white and black like the others, but his face was black, too. He was actually quite tall, and had white plumes of feathers on his head, sticking out in wild directions. And he looked a bit... dizzy. Max wasn't exactly sure, but something about the elder penguin seemed like he was feigning something. Something important. 'Naw... that's just my imagination talking!' Max decided.

"Uh... hi! I was just, uh... wrapping a little something for my brother," Max smiled, feeling awkward and embarrassed that this penguin caught him.

"Oh, well that's nice of you!"

"Yeah, I guess... I really wasn't old enough to remember much of my first couple holidays... so this is my true first run on this 'Kidsmas'..." Max still felt awkward, shifting his right foot docilely. The elder smiled.

"Have you seen my nephew?" he asked.

"Nephew? Oh! You're Private's Uncle Nigel! I think he's outside, still. I probably would have heard him come in. He talks so nicely about you!" Max knew it had to be a relative: only someone related to Private or Charles could have that accent!

"All righty then! I'm off! Cherio!" Nigel waved goodbye to the tot, and scaled up the ladder. Halfway. Tarence then came tumbling down, landing on Nigel, and knocking him off. Then, the teen flopped off Nigel's stomach, and groaned inwardly. Nigel was stunned, to say he least. Max ran (Erm... waddled) to his brother and Nigel as fast as his legs (Ahem... ankles) could carry him.

"Are you okay, guys?" Max helped Nigel up, knowing his brother's determination would win over the pain in his back.

"I'm alright, little tot!"

"Eh, that hurt a bit... but I've had worse," Tarence admitted, looking up at the entrance. He raised his flippers to his beak and cried: "YOU HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN AN ACORN TO TRIP ME, JULIAN!"

"Acorn?" Max asked. Just as the word escaped the brothers' beaks, Max noticed a glimpse of seriousness on Nigel's face, which was then overshadowed by the goofy smile he was wearing before. 'Naw, must have been me! This guy's so derpy!'

An acorn was right at the entrance of the Penguin's HQ, an inch from the entrance. And waiting in a nearby park tree, hid a certain scruffy, red rodent. And he was cursing under his breath. He left the tree silently, seeking another opportunity for another day...

Julian leaped to the entrance, picking up the acorn, and called back down the hole: "You know what? As funny as this acorn probably was, I didn't do it... Yah see, I was eating one of those really good candy cane things! Did you know the stripes disappear when you slurp them?"

'Well no, DUH!' "Who the heck would prank me other than you?"

"I don't know, but tell him that he is a doing a good job!" Julian was grinning, but Tarence could tell the mammal wasn't lying. Because he was actually _believable_. "Oh, here's your ticking acorn, so you can prank him later!" The acorn dropped into Tarence's flippers, and Julian hopped away gleefully.

"No no no nononono! Yaah!" Tarence yelped, chucking the nut across the HQ. Then the acorn's purple sleeping gas kicked in, and the room was quickly engulfed in smoke. Nigel and Max made it out of there, but Tarence, who had thrown Max to Nigel, had succumbed to the vaporous stench.

The smoke was swirling and any light was bending in odd ways. Tarence felt very off balance, and tripped over something plush and bright. And then, darkness.

When Tarence awoke, it was still bright out, and a concerned Kowalski loomed over his body. Everything was still twisting in slightly odd ways, and voices were reverberating like some odd chorus.

"Tarence... Are you okay there?" his friend frowned, holding a kipper in front of the teen's beak.

"Yeah. I think so..." Tarence replied groggily, and sat up. He grinned when he saw the kipper. "Did you actually use that kipper to revive me?" They both laughed.

"Yeah... It was Rico's idea..."

Tarence laughed again, this time harder. "I knew it!"

"Fish!" Rico piped up, taking the kipper and swallowing it. Then, everyone in the area laughed.

"How long was I out, this time?"

"Fifteen minutes!"

"A personal record, huh?" Tarence asked, laughing again.

"Correct!" Kowalski laughed, too. He pulled Tarence up onto his feet and unsteady ankles, and the teen began to walk (semi) normally to the food table. And there were more fish than he could count: plenty of kippers, cods, salmons, and trouts. But there were also fruits, vegetables, peanuts, and candy galore on other parts of the long table.

"Wow, that's a lot of food..." Tarence was wondering what he should try first. Logically, the fish. But anything else might be good, too. 'At least there is no porridge!'

"Hey, big bro!" Max piped up from behind a big, heaping plate of mackerels. He could barely carry the whole thing, but nothing actually fell off of the dish. Tarence couldn't help but utter a small chuckle at the "balancing act".

"Hey! Need a little help there, Max?" Tarence replied, failing to stifle another chuckle.

"Nope!" Max grinned, wobbling less to try to impress his brother. He needed to sometimes, if only to reassure himself. Besides, he wanted to be a good part of the team, so he wanted to prove he was a big boy now. And he always was not able to learn all the "good stuff" until he was "a little older" or "a little bigger". And then, there was a dire need to "repent" for his previous "mishaps"...

"Alright," Tarence nodded, shrugging off the earnest little fledgling's good behavior. Max frowned in return, only visible to Nigel, who was semi-conspicuously watching from the sidelines. But Max also payed little heed to the ignorance of his brother, and waddled carefully to a spot to sit down and eat. He would get his brother's attention, for sure. Until then, he had to keep on trucking!

Swallowing his first mackerel, Max thought of how to turn his brother's attention to him. He knew he shouldn't do anything to make the team mad... or worse yet: _disappointed_!

After eating another of the tasty fish, Max face brightened up. ' I've got it! Now to put it into action...' Max thought gleefully, and looked at his plate loaded with tasty mackerel. He sheepishly grinned, and then thought: 'After I eat!'

"So, ol' bean, care to join us for some really tasty fish?" Nigel finally asked, looking so adorably ditsy. Tarence nodded, and made his way to the "borrowed" table, swallowed a small kipper, and sat down.

"So I heard you are learning fast, in all your agent fighting thingamajigs!"

"Yeah, I guess," Tarence modestly rubbed the back of his head, and sighed. "I think my little brother would do pretty good as one, eventually, too..."

"I bet he's got lots to look up to, old bean! I'm not a genius, but I think he really wants to start now," Nigel cheerily noted.

Tarence looked impassive to this, looked down a smidgen, and replied, "I know..." 'Crap... I didn't know! How could I be so BLIND?!'

"Now, should I tell you of the story of my search for the perfect doily?"

"Doily? I'm out!" Tarence stated bluntly, leaving the table immediately. But he still had the courtesy to keep a pokerface on his beak the entire way, until he was out of earshot.

"Doilies? That's very strange, I suddenly have the urge to save my eardrums. Bye!" Lea sarcastically stated, waddling away in another direction.

Max waddled over to Tarence, and promptly tugged on the elder penguin's flipper. "Hey, big bro?"

"Yeah, Max?"

Max shoved a pink cotton candy into Tarence's flippers. "Here! I got it from the cotton candy machine over in the park! The man wasn't looking!" The little bird seemed overly ecstatic over what he did. And had Nigel not pointed Max's goals out to Tarence, the teen probably would have dismissed the gesture altogether. But now Tarence felt like an idiot. And, though he hated to admit it, an ignorant elder brother.

"Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you want to prove to me something? Like, that you can help out on missions, and... things?"

"YES!" Max cried, leaping into his brother's flippers euphorically. Tarence was a bit shocked at how Max reacted, because it didn't play out as easily in his guilty psyche.

"I'm sorry I didn't know all this time... Y-you're not mad?" Tarence apologetically asked.

"Nope! I didn't care that you didn't know so much... I didn't say it to anyone, really. I was just trying to get your attention!" Tarence smiled at this. "I'm just really happy you know, now!"

"Okay, Max. I'll try to convince the others so we can train you! Let's get something to drink, first," Tarence stood up, still holding Max, and waddled over to a group (avoiding Nigel's Special Doily Adventure) and began to talk to Lea.

"How's it going, Lea?" he asked the female penguin, who was looking at the bag of "Twisties" she was holding.

"America's weird..."

"Huh?" Tarence asked, before laughing sheepishly at the perplexed face of the girl.

It took one look at Tarence to tell he was in love with Lea, and what Max did next didn't make it any better...

"Kissy, kissy, kissity, kiss! Tarry's got the hots for Lea!" he cried, jumping out of his brother's arms and running off, all while making an obnoxious kissing face.

"Dang it, Max!" Tarence half yelled, chasing after him, blushing all the way. Lea stood there.

'He likes me! He really likes me!' A smile crept up the girl's beak.


End file.
